| Quick Facts | Mac 512k |
|---|---|
| Introduced | September 10, 1984 |
| Discontinued | April 14, 1986 |
| Processor | Motorola 68000, 8 MHz |
| ROM Size | 64 KB |
| RAM Size | 512 KB |
| Original Price | $3,195 USD |
Macintosh 512k
The second in the Macintosh line came along 7 months and 17 days after the original Macintosh was introduced. This was the first refresh and the additional RAM would address the memory limitations of the original Mac.
Unfortunately, that is about all the Mac 512k addressed, as this product refresh was basically only a memory upgrade. But it did quadruple the amount of memory to a whopping 512k, earning the Macintosh 512k the moniker “Fat Mac.”
With the advent of this second Mac nearly indistinguishable from the first, except for the extra memory, the original would now be rebranded the “Macintosh 128k” to differentiate it from the Macintosh 512k and future Macs. The 128k model was sometimes referred to as the “Thin Mac” because of its anemic memory.
The Mac now had ample memory for serious work with the bundled MacWrite and MacPaint software. Apple then released other applications, such as MacDraw and MacProject, which brought increased interest in the Mac platform.
The LaserWriter arrived soon after, putting powerful desktop publishing in the hands of individuals. And yes, the Motorola 68000 was considered powerful back then. This wasn’t a cheap setup but it was a lot of publishing power at the time.
system software
Mac System Software v0.1, System v1.1, Finder v1.1g
etymology
[1] The name Macintosh was coined by Jef Raskin, Apple employee #31, who named the project Macintosh “for my favorite kind of eatin’ apple, the succulent McIntosh.”
[2] The nickname “Fat Mac” was coined in honor of the quadrupled memory (512k).
design
Photo credit: Apple
